MORE INFORMATION

Successful whale rescues often depend on properly trained volunteers. That's where you come in. You can become a Marine Mammal Medic with our one day course.

It costs $120 ($85 for students with valid ID) and once trained you'll be added to our national callout list.

That means that when a stranding occurs your lifesaving skills can be called upon.

Where: Fox Glacier, West Coast.

Minimum age for participants is 15 years. Registrations close 9 November.

The course

Our one-day course is split into two parts.

The morning session is made up of short lectures and video presentations. During this session you’ll learn about the evolution and anatomy of dolphins and whales, their behaviour and social structures and some of the reasons they may strand. We’ll examine stranding rescue techniques - what to do and what not to do, key roles and responsibilities at a stranding and personal health and safety.

In the afternoon we’ll hit the beach to put your new-found knowledge and skills to the test. We’ll practice basic first aid on our life size inflatable whale and get to grips with rescue equipment such as dolphin lifting mats and Project Jonah’s very own whale rescue pontoons.

By the end of the course you’ll be trained to:

Assist in the rescue of stranded dolphins and whales

Act as a role model to untrained rescuers

After the course you’ll be issued with a marine mammal medic card and added to our national database for future stranding call-outs.